Long-awaited Michelin star for Glasgow restaurant Cail Bruich

Cail Bruich is the first restaurant in Glasgow to achieve the honour of a Michelin star in 18 years and the only eatery in Scotland which has been awarded one this year.
Cail Bruich in Glasgow is the first restaurant to achieve the coveted award for the city in 18 years.Cail Bruich in Glasgow is the first restaurant to achieve the coveted award for the city in 18 years.
Cail Bruich in Glasgow is the first restaurant to achieve the coveted award for the city in 18 years.

The restaurant based in Glasgow’s West End on Great Western Road joins a list of only 17 restaurants newly honoured with the coveted star as the online Michelin Guide Great Britain and Ireland 2021 was launched today.

This brings the total number of One Starred restaurants in the 2021 guide to 158 with 11 now in Scotland.

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The Glasgow dining experience becomes the only restaurant to currently hold the honour in Scotland’s largest city after One Devonshire Gardens, on the same road as the current star holder, achieved and retained the star when the late Andrew Fairlie was head chef there.

Later, Gordon Ramsay’s Amaryllis restaurant, also located there, won a star, however Amaryllis closed down in 2004, leaving Glasgow starless.

Cail Bruich meaning ‘to eat well’ in Gaelic is a long-standing Glasgow restaurant, which also has three AA Rosettes and is owned by brothers Chris and Paul Charalambous who opened the restaurant in 2008.

In its review, Michelin complimented the restaurant by commenting that it ‘certainly lives up to its name’ and gave praise to the “passionate” head chef Lorna McNee who “has the utmost respect for the quality of her ingredients, which she brings together in perfect harmony.”

Ms McNee was appointed head chef at Cail Bruich in August 2020, after working as sous chef at two Michelin starred Restaurant Andrew Fairlie where she had started her career as an apprentice.

In 2019, she appeared on the BBC’s Great British Menu and was named “Champion of Champions”.

Meanwhile, Edinburgh restaurant Noto was honoured with a Bib Gourmand – which highlights restaurants offering good food at competitive prices – from Michelin.

Stuart Ralston opened this small plates diner in the heart of Edinburgh in 2019.

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In their review, Michelin wrote: “Well-conceived dishes display influences which span the globe, with a particular focus on Asia; maybe bibimbap or duck sausage roll with plum sauce.

"Three dishes per person should suffice – just make sure you save room for the luscious Michel Cluizel chocolate and miso dessert!”

Tweeting about the award, Noto, Edinburgh said that they were “so honoured and proud” of their teams.

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